


Undead Walking

by SWModdy



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Bio hazard released by the seperatist, Gen, Science Fiction, Tags for relationships may change, Zombies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-18
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2019-05-25 03:00:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 8,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14967671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SWModdy/pseuds/SWModdy
Summary: Sent to investigate a Republic outpost gone dark and radio silent, Obi-Wan gets a bad feeling from the moment his feet touch the ground.The feeling only gets worse as he sees the wheezing chagrian in the sun, rotting flesh and exposed ribs shambling towards them.





	1. Republic outpost

The very air felt wrong around them, something almost oily in the air coating Obi-Wan’s tongue.

Or so it felt like at least though it appeared only the Jedi were noticing even if the clones too were alert and wary.

But that came from the empty buildings and the unnatural silence surrounding them.

When a Republic outpost had gone dark, the council had sent the closest Jedi to its position to investigate what had happened and if it was an attack by the Separatists.

Those Jedi happened to be Obi-Wan, Anakin and Ahsoka.

But now Obi-Wan wished that they had someone else with them, someone more experienced with the living Force because…

Something wasn’t right here.

Dread was coiling along his spine even as troopers were carefully opening the doors of the closest buildings and investigating. Anakin moved to Obi-Wan’s side, eyeing the area too with the same wary suspicion Obi-Wan was feeling though he was hiding it better.

Anakin did wear his emotions on his sleeves most of the time.

“Where is everyone?” Anakin questioned quietly.

Shaking his head, Obi-Wan pursed his lips. “I don’t know. There’s no evidence of a battle and yet everyone is gone… there’s suppose to be well over a thousand citizens living here along with the troopers stationed to the outpost.” He murmured, narrowing his eyes faintly, the hairs on the back of his neck rising. “Something isn’t right.”

They were quiet for a moment, the unnatural silence pervading everything else before Anakin swallowed loudly. “I feel like I’m going to throw up.” He whispered.

Nodding a bit, Obi-Wan was about to respond when Ahsoka called out. “Master’s I’ve found something!”

Trading glances, the two hurried to where the togruta was, finding her kneeling down by what looked like a box in the square of the village.

There was blood around it, as if someone had coughed it up and no the gray metal box the Separatists logo was painted in black.

Well, that confirmed that the Separatists had been there at least but _where_ was everyone now?

Kneeling down beside her, Obi-Wan carefully investigated the box. “Plushed inside… indents in the shape of-” He cut off and sat back sharply on his heel, staring at the box before looking sharply up at Anakin. “Tell everyone not to remove their helmets and get ours.” He snapped.

“Obi-Wan?” Anakin questioned even as he brought up his comms.

“They released a bioweapon.” Obi-Wan growled, reaching to Ahsoka and pulling her breathing apparatus out of her belt, firmly forcing her to put it on first before taking his own until the helmets could be worn.

Paling, Anakin nodded in reply, trying not to breath in too hard

All three wondered what kind of weapon had been unleashed on the village.

And if they were now infected.

However before the troopers could arrive with helmets for them, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka caught sight of blue male chagrian hobbling towards them, making the worst wheezing noises Obi-Wan had ever heard. And he knew what was wrong, what the Separatists had done even as he seized Ahsoka by the arm before she could go to help.

There would be no help for this chagrian, for anyone who was there when the weapon was loose. ‘Great Force… they raised the dead.’ He thought to himself as he pulled both Ahsoka and Anakin away as the blond too now caught sight of the civilian hobbling towards them.

Anakin however did not try to approach, was staring at the chagrian with wide, horrid eyes as he took what had once been a living person stepped into the sun, showing rotting flesh all over and exposed rib bones where his clothes were torn.

The undead walked on this planet.


	2. What they are

“What are they?”

Ahsoka’s soft question broke Obi-Wan out of his revere from staring down at the gathered group of moaning and snarling creatures below them that was trying to reach up for them. He looked at her, watched the way the padawan rubbed at her arms while staring down at the beings.

“…Undead.” Obi-Wan murmured softly. “They’re the undead, risen by the bioweapon the Separatists unleashed. I imagine it backfired spectacularly because I can spot three down there wearing Separatist logo, my assumption is that they were there to observe and had no idea what they were really doing the sods.” He looked back down.

They were hovering above the village, more and more of the undead gathering below them as they observed.

However they could not return to the Negotiator or the Resolute, the fear of contamination high.

Obi-Wan would not risk it.

Therefor he had set a team to try and find a laboratory or medical clinic on the planet with high tech that could analyze their blood before he would allow them to leave. Any of them.

Ahsoka swallowed heavily. “Undead? So they… they died and came back?”

Sighing quietly, Obi-Wan nodded and settled down on his knees by the door to continue watching. Anakin had firmly stationed himself against the wall, so not to see them at all.

Obi-Wan understood that, Tatooine had many superstition about the undead that Anakin had never quite managed to put behind himself and he was not about to force Anakin to confront it at the moment until they had to land again.

“…Master Obi-Wan, why do you know about them?” Ahsoka whispered, looking at him with wide blue eyes. “You knew the moment that chagrian showed up, you knew what he was.” She added at his stare.

At the shuttle wall, Anakin shifted and even a few troopers looked towards Obi-Wan, clearly expectant of answer.

He sighed deeply. “Because this isn’t the first time I’ve seen it, I saw it five years before the war broke out. True enough the last time it was via screen. This virus, this bioweapon was a mistake really, a well intention goal towards a cure that went horribly wrong.” Obi-Wan’s lips twisted. “A lab was trying to reverse engineer a plague strain but… it went wrong. Instead of finding a cure, they created this… thing. This monster that awakens from the dead, its body rotting, the soul gone.” He looked slowly back towards the hobbling creatures below them. “Driven by only one impulse that the virus in them creates to spread itself further.” He breathed out heavily. “The Jedi Order was contacted because of the danger of such virus could present and we supposedly got all samples of it to destroy. Thought that was the end of it but now this has happened and all we’re left with his the undead and their impulse.”

“What impulse is it that drives them General?” Cody questioned softly, his vocoder not picking up on what tone the commander was using but Obi-Wan could imagine the tone, a mix of fear and determination.

“…The need to feed.” Obi-Wan swallowed heavily.

Anakin let out a wounded noise back at the wall, hands clenched into his leggings as he tried to calm down. Obi-Wan gave up on watching and moved to his former padawans side, wrapping his arm around him in comfort and murmuring soothing nonsense into the others ear.

There was a sharp silence as the new information was absorbed.

“They feel no pain.” Obi-Wan continued after a few moment. “They can’t see but hear and smell. Their limbs are rotting so they can’t run or climb or move up a stairs but they move in herds that can overwhelm and the only way to really stop them is to remove the head or a blaster shot to destroy the brain.” He breathed out harshly. “If you’re bitten or clawed… you’re doomed. You’re infected.” Obi-Wan closed his eyes, wrapping his other arm around Ahsoka when she moved to him too.

“How do you know if you’re infected?” Rex questioned, his voice a tad sharp even through his helmet.

Letting out a low hum, Obi-Wan frowned a bit. “I… right, a fever sets in first.” He tried to think back. “It boils the brain, you choke on your blood… and die. That’s if you’re infected via the virus. If you’re bitten the undead usually does the work unless you escape.” He sighed and shrugged. ‘Dear Force… let us not be infected… I don’t want them to die here.’ Obi-Wan thought to himself as he tightened his grasp around Ahsoka and Anakin, heart thundering in his chest. ‘They deserve so much more.’

Below them the sounds of growling and wheezing continued its disturbing crescendo as the shuttles hovered over them in safety, still fully fueled.

For now.


	3. 'Clean' the planet

Dropping on the roof of the laboratory, Obi-Wan eyed the shambling horde of people making its way towards them since the ship wasn’t completely soundless and they were attracted to the noise. And considering the only other noise was nature noises then it was clear that they would follow the ship.

Beside him Ahsoka and Anakin dropped down just as quietly, the blond shooting a nervous look towards the horde before he quickly made his way towards the roof hatch to force it open with his saber.

Obi-Wan kept his eyes on the slow moving horde before looking up at Cody. “Go find a place to land that’s safe. Somewhere elevated that they can’t walk to and if possible, find fuel. Do not linger too long though, try to conserve the amount of resources spent if possible. Return in about two hours if you haven’t heard anything else.” He caught the bag Cody threw him and hitched it over his shoulder as the two exchanged nods and Cody saluted.

With that done and orders given, Obi-Wan made his way over to the now open hatch where Anakin and Ahsoka had already jumped down, following them as the troopers flew off with the shuttle in an attempt to scavenge some supplies.

“I hope this lab is up to snuff.” Anakin noted quietly as he held his saber up for light while peering around with a deep frown on his face, trying to disguise how fearful he really was.

“It has to be, this is the most complex lab on planet according to the information from the Resolute.” Obi-Wan breathed out, looking around the dark hall. “The better question will be if we can get power running, I will leave that up to you though Anakin since you are better at such things.” He glanced to the other, giving him a small smile.

He got a shaky smile in return before the three Jedi were making their way through the hall to find a suitable lab for blood analyzes.

It was about five minutes later that any of them spoke.

“What’s gonna happen if we’re infected Master Obi-Wan?” Ahsoka questioned softly, her voice echoing in the empty halls.

Anakin glanced at Obi-Wan who kept staring forward.

They knew the answer but obviously Ahsoka was looking for hope.

Hope that Obi-Wan could not grant.

“Those who are infected can’t leave.” Obi-Wan murmured. “Or if they leave they can not enter Republic space, they would have to be transferred to a contained moon for their own survival with occasional supply drop until they meet their end which would be the end of it all. But they can never rejoin the Republic for the safety of everyone.” Obi-Wan breathed out heavily. “Or we risk this contagion spreading.”

They continued walking.

“…Oh.” Ahsoka whispered, wrapping her arms around herself and sighing quietly, Obi-Wan wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

“I know that’s not the answer you sought but… I won’t give you false hope only to dash it should any of us be infected.” Obi-Wan murmured quietly, knowing that if one of them were then all were as they would have to get to the planet with the airborne virus still infectious.

The only ones who might have a chance were the clones who kept their helmets on if that was the case and he knew that a few of them had removed them at some point.

“I wish I had comfort to give you Ahsoka, to all of us… but that is the reality we are facing.” Obi-Wan breathed out. “And if we are infected, there is a real possibility that we will not live long anyhow.” He confessed.

Anakin looked at him sharply, the blue of his saber creating shadows. “What does that mean Obi-Wan?”

Staring into the dark, Obi-Wan took a slow, deep breath. “It means that the Republic might decide to ‘clean’ the planet.”

The two stared at him even as they walked. “Clean?” Ahsoka whispered.

Shadows flickering over his face made Obi-Wan seem even older. “Tactical carpet bombardment to wipe out every trace of the contagion.” He whispered.

“…Oh.”


	4. A commander's musing

Watching the fading colors of their Jedi on the lab roof, Cody let out a heavy breath before closing the shuttle door and turning to the rest of his vode to meet their helmet covered faces. “…We look for a fuel depot. If we can find that, we can refuel as needed and can last for as long as we need to be here.” He said through the comm lines in his helmet, Echo nodding in the cockpit as he started the scans for any buildings that were suited away from the main core of settlements on the planet as such places were usually delegated space away from people in case of tank explosions.

Best way to keep casualties to a minimum.

But in that moment it didn’t matter as they were all captured on this planet.

Cody shuddered to think what would happen if any of them were infected.

If _Obi-Wan_ was infected.

The thought made his heart throb and his hands clench at the idea of his Jedi being ill without noticing it.

‘He wasn’t wearing a helmet or breathing apparatus when we landed.’ An insidious voice whispered to him. ‘We didn’t know how dangerous the air potentially could be, he may be sick already. All three might.. and Boil and Gearshift, Kix and Cotton, Jesse and Tup and so many others who just wanted some fresh air while they had the chance, just a quick breath instead of canned recycled air that they had to do with on ship.’

Because if that virus had still been airborne, it meant that all of them were infected.

The Jedi and any trooper who removed their helmet during that time until the General had figured out what had happened and warned everyone from pulling their helmet off.

‘And still it might be too late.’ The same voice hissed. ‘They might join that shambling horde down there in few days. You heard what the General said, a fever will set in that boils the brain to death.’ He looked towards his men, wondering if any of them were feeling the stirring of fever.

Clones were hardy, created to not get sick easily.

It would be easy to tell if they were infected because the Commander didn’t think the hardiness extended to biological weapons.

“Do you think they will be alright Codes? Think they’ll be uninfected?” Rex suddenly asked, his voice raw sounding even in the comm lines.

Taking a deep breath before he responded, Cody closed his eyes as he couldn’t help but be grateful for the helmet hiding his expression. “Don’t know Rex. They are Jedi but they need air just as much as anyone else do, if that virus was still airborne…” He let the statement trail off.

If there was any creature in the galaxy that knew that Jedi were strong but not invincible, it were the clones that ran the gauntlet with them.

They had seen Jedi get injured and they had seen them die.

‘I just never expected to be so close to the death of my own General and be so helpless to prevent it.’ Cody thought shakily, slowly sitting down on one of the pull seats along the wall of the shuttle as his legs refused to carry his weight anymore.

And then he almost threw up as the image of Obi-Wan superimposed over the chagrian from earlier, his lips peeled back to expose teeth and gum, skin gone patchy and rotten with ribs exposed and green eyes gone milky with death as he tracked the sounds around him in an engineered impulse to ‘feed’ and create havoc his General would never have wanted if he was still himself.

‘I don’t know if there’s anything out there listening to a clone of all creatures… but please… not that. Not for my General. Please.’ Cody thought shakily while pressing his back to the wall, wishing desperately he could press his nails into his palm for the pain to ground him as he closed his eyes.

If it came to that, if his General could not leave and return to the Negotiator and further on Coruscant…

Cody would relieve him of that burden should the man ask for it.

He would not leave Obi-Wan to boil away, die and rot on this world. ‘The guilt would kill me… but he doesn’t deserve to exist with such torment. Not my General.’


	5. Heat

Standing there in the doorway for what felt like forever, Obi-Wan tried to calm his racing heart as he could hear Anakin throwing up in a corner and feel a shaking Ahsoka cling to his arm with one hand while the other held her saber for light as Obi-Wan continued to blankly stare at the snarling blue twi’lek in front of them that was trying to reach them.

Keyword, trying.

Because when alive, this man had made a noose out of what looked like a nylon rope, slung it up on some of the ceiling beams and jumped off a desk.

‘I wonder if he realized his body would become this… this grotesque puppet trying to reach people yet being unable to… did he feel it be better to strung his body up so they wouldn’t be able to harm someone?’ Obi-Wan questioned himself as he tried to shut down the horror in his systems.

Just like the chagrian before, the lips peeled back exposed the teeth from decomposition as the skin dried but here in the room the smell of decaying flesh was strong as there was nowhere for it to escape. Its arms were stretched out towards them while its legs slung back and forth in the free air and its lekkus twitched and curled with every motion.

Taking a steadying breath through his mouth to try and contain his sanity and lunch, Obi-Wan firmly shook Ahsoka’s grip loose and approached the twi’lek with wary steps.

“What are you doing?” Anakin questioned, voice coming raspy from vomiting but strong as he warily reached out as if to stop Obi-Wan.

“We need this mans keycard.” Obi-Wan murmured. “This is one of the lab researchers or scientists, you can tell by his clothes and he will have a keycard to get in.” He continued forward, feeling his stomach turn at the proximity to this unnatural creature.

The Force was twisting at the wrongness and it was making it so much harder for Obi-Wan to locate the keycard as the twi’lek continued snarling and reaching for him, swaying back and forth in front of the Jedi.

“Be careful Master Obi-Wan.” Ahsoka said softly, standing frozen.

Nodding but not replying, Obi-Wan examined the twi’lek to try and direct where the keycard most likely would be while mentally cursing their need to find it it. But all the doors they had tried had been locked and required either a code or keycard.

This was their only chance as Anakin had shaken his head after examining the doors and confessed that they would be unable to cut through the thick doors with their sabers as the door was made with a mix of durasteel and ultrachrome, the latter which was resistant to lightsabers, nor would they be able to slice into them. One wrong move would lock it forever.

And they needed to get into at least one of these labs to conduct the blood tests they needed.

“Maybe we should take his arms off?” Anakin suddenly intruded, getting closer slowly. “So he doesn’t scratch you or grab you?”

Twitching a bit at the idea but nodding reluctantly, Obi-Wan pulled his saber off his belt. “That… may be a good idea.” He confessed before activating his blade and taking both arms off at the elbows from the twi’lek.

It continued snarling, no pain, no emotion from the loss of his arms as he continued with rotten stumps to try and reach them still and Anakin returned to the corner where he vomited once more as the smell got more intensive as the amputated arms twitched on the floor with blackened nails seemingly clawing at the tiles.

Obi-Wan himself wasn’t doing so great as he barely managed to hold onto his lunch, wishing more fervently than ever that they had never landed on this planet or that they had done a scan before hand for bioweapons.

But with the arms gone, Obi-Wan could now get to the twi’leks pockets where he located the keycard they needed in the left breast pocket.

He tried not to think too much about the fact that he was pretty much looting a corpse.

“I have it.” He said hoarsely with some relief, stepping back from the twi’lek to get distance and turning to face the other two younger Jedi.

In the blue light of the lightsabers, both looked weary with shadows flickering over their faces causing them to seemingly look older than they were but Ahsoka managed to dredge up a small smile and a nod while Anakin wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “Then lets go.” He answered in an equally raspy voice.

But then the blond froze, flickering his eyes studiously over Obi-Wan’s face for a few seconds before he closed the distance between them and pressed his flesh hand to Obi-Wan’s forehead.

“You have a fever.” He breathed out, eyes going wide with fright. “And you touched the box where the virus came from.” Anakin remembered.

Closing his hand around Anakin’s wrist, Obi-Wan took a deep breath. “Lets just get to the lab…” He whispered in return, swallowing a bit as he ignored the building panic in his former padawans eyes and the horror in Ahsoka’s.

He couldn’t think about the fact that he had a fever.

Obi-Wan had to check on the others so he could send home the uninfected and with that thought in mind he carefully slid around Anakin and made his way to the door, holding onto the thought of checking on the others so he wouldn’t fall apart.


	6. Contagion

The General is sick, there is sweat coating his brow and a flush barely noticeable through his beard as he sits in front of the terminal that is going to spit out the answer of the blood analysis in the machine.

They can all see it in the dim light the generator that General Skywalker has fixed up is providing them with.

Though they only have some of the lights on to ensure most of the generator is giving power to the analyzing and door. That is what they need most.

And yet that dim light allows them all to see that General Kenobi is sweating along with flushed skin that signals a fever.

‘A fever that boils the brain.’ The Jedi had said while they had still been observing the undead.

Skywalker is all but hovering over the chair the General is sitting in, his eyes focused on the terminal screen though occasionally his eyes will drop down to the red head below him and his grip will tighten on the back of the seat Obi-Wan is sitting in, his eyes flickering with panic as he does before he forces his eyes back to staring at the terminal once more, his gaze burning as if he can by will alone make sure it will turn out negative and Obi-Wan will be shown that he is not sick with this undead virus.

“Did you get anything outside of fuel?” Obi-Wan asked in seemingly light voice and if Cody didn’t know the man as well as he did, he wouldn’t have heard the controlled tightness of it. The General was scared. “We are running a bit low on both food and water.” The Jedi added.

“We did find several crates of bottled water we brought with us from the fuel depot.” Cody confirmed, making his way from his position among his vode to stand at the redhead’s side instead, noting absently that Ahsoka was sitting by Fives and Echos sides with her face buried in the former’s shoulder.

Her lekkus were twitching violently.

‘I can understand that. I’m frightened too.’

Humming, Obi-Wan looked up at him and nodded. “That is good, we can survive longer without food than water though if we need to remain here longer then we will need to find food from some place to-”

The terminal pinged.

The entire room froze, Cody able to feel the gaze of every vode in the room focused on them as they all waited for answers about the first batch of blood work.

Cody was treated to Obi-Wan closing his eyes slowly as the man took a deep breath before he turned back to the screen to read the analyze.

‘Please… don’t my general from me.’ Cody sent a silent prayer out to any deities that would listen. ‘If there are any gods or goddesses who listens to one such as me, don’t take him from me.’

“…Negative. All of them are negative.” Kenobi rasped out after a moment before letting out a shaking breath and dropping his head in his hands, shoulders visibly shaking until Skywalker reached down and wrapped the other in a tight hug, face pressed into the middle of the others back.

“Oh thank all little Force goddesses.” Someone in the back wheezed out.

Cody didn’t care who, just that Obi-Wan wasn’t sick with the virus infecting the planet at least.

He just had a damn fever from something else.


	7. Overcome

They’re all clean, all the blood samples from troopers to Jedi are all clean and Obi-Wan can’t quite contain his relief as he drops his face into his hands and lets out a small sob that he know must startle everyone because he can tell by the sudden silence and the shock in the Force that they heard it.

And then Anakin is there, arms wrapping around the older man as he trembles while seated in front of the terminal still as he tries to contain his emotions. Because he knows how this bioweapon would have functioned, he knows it would have turned their own against them and the very idea made him want to throw up.

And then there was the dead now walking, their very nature a perversion against the Force and the balance of life.

How Anakin, who is stronger in the Force than any of them, manages to keep onto his lunch Obi-Wan has no idea of because Obi-Wan had thrown up earlier from the constant onslaught of _wrong_ from these creatures and he knows that so has Ahsoka.

And he _can’t_ stop crying.

Its all silent after the first but he can’t stop the tears right now of relief as he presses one hand over his eyes and the other to his mouth, shaking in Anakin’s grasp until he feels smaller arms join.

Then he’s shaking in both Ahsoka’s and Anakin’s as they cling to him.

He can feel them shake too though if that is a response to his emotions or their own, Obi-Wan hasn’t the foggiest of ideas.

And neither does he know how long it takes for him to calm down but he finally manages only for Ahsoka to push one of the scavenged water bottles into his hands and encourage him to drink it all with a sad but understanding smile on her face.

Anakin doesn’t let go, even as Obi-Wan drains the bottle and clings until Obi-Wan finally pushes himself to his feet, giving the troopers a wane smile. “Apologies, that was… well, relief.” He croaked, throat raw despite the water he had drunk.

“Please don’t apologize to us sir,” Cody gave him a serious stare, pulling his helmet off to give the Jedi a serious stare. “We understand. And we’re relieved too.” He added, nods and agreement coming around the room.

Anakin just squeezed Obi-Wan’s shoulder.

They all understood the fear and the relief which made it easier for Obi-Wan to collect himself before he printed the information from the terminal of their blood samples before he sent it up to the Negotiator. “We may be able to leave. As soon as the Negotiator responds to us that they’ve seen our clean samples and readied the ship for quarantine. It would mean a second one on board of course with better equipment but I don’t think anyone here would deny that.” Obi-Wan chuckled tiredly.

There were various reactions of amusement and tiredness at that, everyone ready to go _home_.

Until Hotlips let out a startled noise, his radio crackling as it picked up a signal.

A local one.

“Please, if anyone can hear this, we need help. We’re a group of eight survivors and we’ve been all surviving for over a week in the durasteel factory. We have little water or food left and we’re in urgent need for rescue and supplies,” A desperate but faint female voice reached over the air. “This message will repeat every five hours.”

They all stared at the radio before Obi-Wan snapped into action, moving to Hotlips side. “Can you trace that?” He questioned seriously. “Or will we need to search for the factory?” Obi-Wan’s face was pale.

“I think I can trace the signal and log it into the shuttle.” Hotlips answered, excitement in his voice.

And he was not the only one.

There were survivors.

People they could _help_.


	8. Utter silence

Its utter silence.

The factory the survivors are suppose to be at is utterly silent and unnatural for a durasteel factory that produces high quantities daily.

Blood, old and dried in many colors smear the floor and walls and they can see hand prints here and there as they look around with flashlights as the powers has gone out. Somewhere far away there’s a flickering light from an office and one corner near the door has a small collection of what looks like makeshift beds on the walkway of the factory away from the factory floor.

When they aim the light down they see a multitude of bodies, all of them with either their heads gone or holes in them signaling that whoever had been surviving here had figured out how to get rid of the zombies.

Obi-Wan just feels nauseous, the Force a constant press of wrong and as he exchanges looks with Ahsoka and Anakin, its clear they feel it too.

This time Anakin looks close to losing his ration bar lunch from the wrongness of the Force instead of the smell of a corpse like earlier.

“…Spread out but stay in groups, no one goes alone.” Obi-Wan said quietly and everyone parted into groups of three, Rex instantly taking Ahsoka to his side with a foreboding look on his face that reassured both Anakin and Obi-Wan despite the trooper having his helmet on his belt.

Out of everyone, Rex would defend Ahsoka to the last and not let her take any risks even if she was being cocky and overeager.

Anakin quite reluctantly parted with Obi-Wan though he looked reassured as Cody instantly took Obi-Wan’s left, Obi-Wan’s none dominant side almost like a padawan would along with Longshot as Fives and Echo joined Anakin.

With the parting into groups done, everyone separated in directions to check the factory out, Anakin and Obi-Wan going down to the floor with Ahsoka remaining above for safety and for once she didn’t argue, stuck by Rex side and another trooper.

‘She must be more scared than we realized.’ Obi-Wan speculated as he headed for what looked like an office, stepping over a corpse as he did that had no head, pressing the door open cautiously. 

Nothing and no one.

Frowning a bit he stepped further in, Cody and Longshot at his back with both holding their blasters high just in case and damn it all if it didn’t make Obi-Wan feel a bit safer than he ever had before with blasters.

With them at his back he searched the room, finding an abandoned radio by a desk as he crouched down to pick it up.

Turning it over in his hand, he pursed his lips and looked around. “Hmm…”

“General?” Longshot voice was a question of its own as Obi-Wan

“There’s a radio in this room, most likely the one used to record the initial message and transmit…” He murmured, eyeing a supply closet while setting the radio on the desk and slowly approaching the closet.

The closer he got, the more uneasy Obi-Wan became, a line of tension starting in his lower back but he was a Jedi, he came here looking for survivors and Force, if there was even one than Obi-Wan and the rest were going to find them and bring them to safety.

He heard both troopers cock the blasters behind him, an uneasy rustle as he placed his hand on the door and drew it open. He barely had time to get his arm up, much less yell as instantly a heavy set human male fell on him, snarling and wheezing loudly with dead white eyes and a rotting skin, its mouth a gaping maw of darkness and stained teeth.

Its mouth snapped around Obi-Wan’s arm as it seemingly desperately clawed at Obi-Wan, hungry as it pushed the Jedi into the ground.

There was a blast, echoing in the room and the head of the person exploded, its corpse falling on Obi-Wan with a heavy thud that Obi-Wan barely registered as he laid on the dirty duracrete floor with wide eyes.

Panting heavily, Obi-Wan laid there with the corpse on top of him, flakes of skin and blood on his face as he shook and tried to get over the shock of a Force damned zombie coming out of a supply locker with Obi-Wan barely managing to hold the heavy human off him that was now laying on his chest and legs.

His arm felt broken, the power behind the bite on his gauntlet proving superior to what a regular human was able to for sure and he was certain the white gauntlet had turned dented.

And then the weight was gone as Cody’s hands desperately checked Obi-Wan over, an antiseptic napkin from his belt going over Obi-Wan’s face hurriedly with panicked movement to get all the traces of the zombie off the Jedi.

And for it all Obi-Wan laid still, just breathing harshly, still thinking of the white of the once humans eyes.

“…General?” Cody whispered, his free hand resting on Obi-Wan’s shoulder but before he could respond, Anakin burst into the room with his saber held high, a wild look in his blue eyes as he took stock of the situation, the zombie, Obi-Wan on the floor, the shakiness of the room…

“Obi-Wan?” He asked in a high pitched note.

Absolutely reality shook into Obi-Wan and he rolled onto his side, onto his left arm and threw up the ration bar he had earlier, his right, mostly likely broken arm tucked to his chest protectively as Cody pressed his hand to his Jedi’s back, rubbing lightly.

And then Anakin was there too, his hands fluttering everywhere to check that Obi-Wan was okay, that he wasn’t bitten and maybe just to assure himself that Obi-Wan was still there and was still Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan was just too relieved to shake away the comfort of those touches, trembling beneath solace of those hands.  


	9. Resting corner

Opening his eyes when he felt a gentle thumb rub his forehead, Obi-Wan smiled meekly up at Anakin as the blond knelt beside him. “Hey.” He rasped out, licking his dry lips.

“Hey, didn’t mean to wake you,” Anakin smiled down at him. “Was just coming to check on you and make sure you were okay.” He confessed quietly.

Humming quietly as the thumb continued slowly rubbing, Obi-Wan breathed out steadily. “I was awake before you came over if I’m honest, I’m just pretty drugged up thanks to Helix and Kix.” He chuckled quietly.

That got a small smile out of Anakin. “I’d ask how the arm is feeling but considering that admission I’m imagining you don’t feel much of it.”

Both looked to Obi-Wan’s bound up arm, Helix having made splinters and bandaged it properly up until they could get to the bone knitter on the Negotiator once they were sure Obi-Wan was clean after his encounter with the zombie.

Regardless, the zombie had broken the arm with the ferocious bite.

“It throbs.” Obi-Wan finally murmured, blinking slowly.

Anakin rested his mech hand on the bandages and then sighed. “Its times like this I regret I don’t have a good hand for healing,” He grimaced deeply. “It would be so useful, not just for you but for Ahsoka too.” Anakin said bitterly, his face twisting.

Jerking a bit, Obi-Wan tried to sit up only for Anakin to place his hand his former master’s shoulder to keep him down. “Ahsoka? What happened?” Obi-Wan asked, trying to keep the panic out of his voice.

Grunting a bit, Anakin squeezed his shoulder. “Easy, easy Obi-Wan, I phrased that wrong. She went through a ruined staircase step while she was salvaging with the troopers, Snips just sprained her leg and is sitting and sulking cause she can’t do much, orders of Kix.” He explained quickly, breathing out when Obi-Wan relaxed. “Honestly, we set together this bedding area for a reason Obi-Wan, you need to rest. You’ve been throwing up from the Force being so twisted several times already and now you’re injured. Its not good for you.” Anakin said seriously.

Rubbing his face with his good hand, Obi-Wan let out a little mumble. “I know, I’m sorry Anakin, I just… assumed the worst.” He breathed out heavily and turned his eyes to the ceiling of the cleared out warehouse they had made their base, the second floor free of any infected ‘life’.

The closeness to supplies and the lack of infected ‘life’ had made it an ideal place to station themselves, especially as they also had the roof for vantage to scout with it also being easy to land the transport ships on a nearby landing pad on the other roofs.

The troopers ingenuity had also made it an easy walk between them as they had rigged makeshift bridges out of material laying around though Obi-Wan had not seen them as he had been resigned to the little sick area with Waxer and Jesse when a locker of all things had come loose and landed on them.

They weren’t too badly injured, sprains, but they needed rest though Obi-Wan had a strong suspicion that they were also going to keep an eye on the Jedi patient that was strongly sedated.

Jerking to a bit in surprise when fingers gently brushed through his hair, Obi-Wan turned his eyes back to Anakin as he was broken from his pensive mood, meeting the others serious blue eyes. “Its going to be alright Obi-Wan. I know you’re worried and injured, I know you’re sick to your stomach and so am I and Ahsoka which makes us compromised since the wrongness in the Force is literally ruining us but we got the troopers who are as clear in the head as always and they never disappoint.” He smiled a bit.

Letting out a soft noise, Obi-Wan chuckled. “Putting our trust in them has never failed us.” He agreed quietly, knowing that Helix and a small team of troopers were back to the blood check station they had been at with a fresh sample of Obi-Wan’s blood.

Hopefully…

Regardless, Obi-Wan put his trust in their troopers.


	10. Five hours

Mealbar dropping from his hand, Anakin stared at Rex in disbelief. “Repeat that?” He rasped out in stunned fear.

Taking a deep breath, Rex repeated indeed. “The Senate is giving us five hours. If we aren’t off planet in five hours, they are bombing us along with the infected life as they can’t risk the biohazard getting off planet. I’m sorry sir but the Jedi High command tried to stall them but the Senate won’t listen, the senators are all up in arms apparently General Windu says an-”

Anakin didn’t hear another word, staring at his own feet on the gray roof floor as the situation sunk in while wishing he hadn’t gone up on the roof for some peace and quiet because if he was downstairs, he could speak to Obi-Wan about this, sort through what they needed to do but Obi-Wan was also sick and injured and needed to rest so maybe it was just as well that Anakin had gone up on the roof for fresh air and peace and quiet but oh _Force_.

The planet was about to be tactically bombed in five hours by the Senate own natural born command on their orders, on the _Chancellor’s_ order, and Obi-Wan’s blood sample had yet to be cleared, several troopers were injured from salvaging, Ahsoka was still limping around on her sprained ankle and all three Jedi were at their weakest thanks to the twisted Force around them because of those undead creatures walking around.

Force Anakin had barely even eaten anything the last two days because it kept coming back up and now they had five hours to get off the planet!?

He didn’t think Ahsoka or Obi-Wan were doing any better than him frankly, both equally effected by the warped Force surrounding them and now they needed to leave as quickly as possible but there were issues!

They still needed Obi-Wan’s blood sample and Helix with Echo, Fives, Longshot and Killer still hadn’t returned with the clearance, which meant they, or more like Obi-Wan, were still in quarantine and they still needed to tank up the shuttles to go up.

If they didn’t get off the planet however…

Anakin was _not_ leaving behind Obi-Wan to be tactical carpet bombed!

There was no chance in hell that… that…

He looked up when hands grasped his shoulders and the wind tugged on his clothes, meeting Rex’s wide eyes and it took Anakin a minute to realize he was hyperventilating and Rex was trying to coax him into breathing. Grasping the captain’s wrists, Anakin fought for the right to _breath_ , to just draw air down into his lungs as he shook in the trooper’s tight grasp.

“We’re going to make it Sir, just trust us, just breath, come on sir you can do it.” Rex continued speaking, trying to get through and Anakin whimpered a bit and pressed his forehead to Rex chestplate, taking the breaths of air that the Captain wanted him to take.

Trust the troopers.

Wasn’t that what Obi-Wan said too?

To trust the men around them because of how capable they were?

Anakin could do that because he did trust these men who served under him, who brought so much life and joy with them and hurt so much when they were gone.

Finally he was breathing, Rex still gripping his shoulders even as Anakin felt an uneasy squirming deep within him.

But he was breathing properly once more.

Letting out a shuddering breath through his mouth, Anakin pulled back slowly enough to give Rex a nod, the captain reluctantly pulling back while watching the Jedi closely before he relaxed and rocked on the heels of his boots. “…Contact the blood sample team, pull all men back to base,” Anakin whispered out, barely heard over the wind but Rex had good hearing. He nodded to each order. “We leave in three hours, regardless what the result, we return to the Resolute and the Negotiator with _everyone_.” Anakin settled on.

There was no way anyone would be left behind him and if Obi-Wan was infected… if Obi-Wan had become infected because he found a zombie in a supply closet then Anakin would damn well take him away and help him.

He’d find somewhere peaceful and wait and then…

Anakin swallowed, fear and nausea coiling low in his stomach even as he picked up the mealbar he had dropped, pocketing it.

You never knew when your next meal could be as a slave and that was something Anakin hadn’t come out of, keeping all food he didn’t finish.

Rex gave him one last look before saluting and turning to find Hotlips to get the messages out and inform the rest of the troopers still at the factory turned base along with the warehouse. Anakin meanwhile slowly got to his feet, intent on going down to find Obi-Wan, to sit with his former master.

‘I’m not leaving you behind here Obi-Wan,’ Anakin promised himself. ‘I’m not leaving _anyone_ behind here.’


	11. Emotional overload

[nyodrite](https://nyodrite.tumblr.com/) asked:

it's been a while but. Undeadwalking. do they get off the planet in time? is everyone okay? or what about the reactions from the jedi when they learned about the situation on the planet? or maybe padme's pov during/after the senate votes to bombard the planet with only a few hours for the ones on it to leave? is the entire situation secret or does the general public know what's happening - and that The Team are the ones on planet? (sorry, i just really like this au)

 

[ ](https://nyodrite.tumblr.com/)

Her heart is in her throat as she rushes through the halls of the Rotunda to her office.

Everywhere she looks, flocks of Senators and their aides are gathered, whispering and hissing at each others in worry and shock, all of them showing various signs of distress or agitation.

Some outright anger.

But all Padme can focus on is the fact that her husband and his men are on that damnable planet.

That Ahsoka and Obi-Wan are there.

They’ll die if they don’t escape it soon.

And if one of them is infected…

Her heart thunders and she feels the urge to vomit, the horrifying image of the undead stumbling around in a padded cell still playing for her inner eye as she replaces the human woman with Anakin, super imposes the rotten flesh and almost bluish skin onto her beloved husband.

She had tried to vote against the bombardment but the fear had caused many other senators to vote for the tactical bombardment, all of them judging the planet a lost cause and most of them too scared of the virus escaping to really give the Jedi and their troopers more time.

And now Anakin is at risk once more.

But for some reason this feels worse, this feels so much worse and it takes Padme a long time to realize why.

Because a blaster to the head is a quick death and then it is over for her beloved husband, her dear Anakin who beams as bright as the sun and loves her so dearly.

The virus however will cook his mind and leave him an undead shambling corpse that will hurt others.

It will break her heart to see him like that and finally locked up in her own office, Padme has a panic attack as she breaths harshly while sinking onto her knees with no one to turn to because how can she explain to anyone that she hopes that Anakin is either fully healthy or fully dead?

She can’t, even her own handmaidens would look at her as if she’s insane, of that Padme is sure as she presses shaking hands to her lips.

Her husband is in trouble and there is nothing Padme can do to save him, nothing she can send that would reach him in time, no weapons she can give him, no crew, no ship, no information or kind words.

No aid at all, Padme Amidala is no stranger to being helpless but in this moment she can’t remember ever being as helpless as she is right now.

‘Please Anakin, please don’t take stupid risks.’ She thinks shakily as she looks at her large windows, the Jedi temple far in the distance as wet trails leak down her cheeks and coat the back of her hands and as if in response to her tumultuous emotions the dark sky breaks open and rain pours down.

It is oddly fitting.

()()()

There is something happening but Obi-Wan feels too horrid to get up and check on the situation, his legs feeling shaky even laying down as he was with Jesse and Waxer playing a card game and rather obviously trying to distract him by talking rather loudly.

He will only get in the way or distract someone he feels and that is the last thing they need at this moment so Obi-Wan remains laying in his area where all sick or injured had been settled aside, his braced by rods and bandaged arm resting on his chest as he listens to Jesse and Waxer discuss the finer points of blaster rifle care and about the time Waxer had to remove a leech from his own ass though how that leech managed to get to the man’s ass he refuses to elaborate on.

If Obi-Wan were to take a guess, he’d say it would have something to do with the leech Boil managed to get near the groin area and certain activities they were trying to get up to while in a semblance of privacy only for the leeches to interrupt them.

But hey, who was he to judge, both of them were consenting adults after all and it made for an amusing story later on as Jesse certainly agreed while laughing.

And yet Obi-Wan couldn’t quite shake the mounting horror filling the Force that was somehow overcoming the _wrongness_ of the entire planet thanks to the walking dead all around them. Clearly something was wrong and normally he’d ask Anakin…

However Anakin hadn’t returned since his last visit nor had he called Obi-Wan to basically interrogate him how he was feeling and that in itself was telling.

Anakin was the biggest of worry warts and the only thing that could trump his concern was the mounting pressure and panic of something terrible.

Finally Obi-Wan had enough of the mounting horror in the Force and sat up slowly, squinting in the bad light of the warehouse towards the two troopers sitting on the floor with a crate for a table between them to hold their cards with a tired expression as he took in Jesse’s black eye and Waxer’s durasteel braced leg.

Along with their pale complexion and panicked expressions it really confirmed his thoughts.

Something bad was happening. “…Please don’t make me ask outright.” Obi-Wan stated softly and the two exchanged looks, both Jesse and Waxer’s face turning even more concerned and sending Obi-Wan’s stomach plummeting.

“…The Senate has given the go on tactical bombing the planet, with or without us, Skywalker is trying to get us off but we don’t have long General.” Waxer finally confessed, his voice nary a whisper.

Staring at the other, Obi-Wan opened his mouth then closed it, nodding faintly. “…Oh.” He said, voice weak as the words tactical bombardment echoed in his head.

‘Well, at least we’re not gonna become zombies? Can you imagine our jaw just hanging and swaying in the breeze?’ His mind chirped and with that Obi-Wan lost it as he started laughing on the edge of hysteria, covering his face with his good, functioning hand and hearing Waxer yelp in panic and Jesse call for Kix.

If there were tears mixed into that, no one called him on it.


End file.
